Several publications and patent documents are cited throughout the specification in order to describe the state of the art to which this invention pertains. Each of these citations is incorporated herein by reference as though set forth in full.
Osteochondritis dissecans, often abbreviated to OCD or OD, is a joint disorder in which defects form in the articular cartilage and the underlying subchondral bone. OCD is caused by blood deprivation in the subchondral bone. This loss of blood flow causes the subchondral bone to die in a process called avascular necrosis. The bone is then reabsorbed by the body, leaving the articular cartilage it supported prone to damage. The result is fragmentation (dissection) of both cartilage and bone, and the free movement of these osteochondral fragments within the joint space, causing pain and further damage. Many species are affected by OCD, including horses, dogs, pigs, horses, cattle, chicken, turkeys and humans,
Osteochondritis Dissecans (OCD) is a common problem in many breeds of horses, including Thoroughbreds. In some breeds (notably Standardbreds, Hanoverians, Swedish Warmbloods) a strong genetic predisposition has been documented. Though nutritional imbalances are known to contribute to the development of OCD, in recent years emphasis has been placed on understanding the metabolic and genetic contributions to the disease. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy and Metabonomics have been identified as tools that are useful in this research.
Osteochondrosis dissecans lesions are a significant economic problem in the equine industry, affecting 20-30% of young Standardbred, Thoroughbred and Hanoverian horses in several surveys. Though lesions can be surgically corrected, the surgery is expensive and affected horses bring lower prices than horses without lesions. It is well recognized to be a heritable predisposition. Clearly a need exists to reduce the incidence of this condition, and/or for inhibiting its occurrence in predisposed animals.